Trembling, his heart pounded as he began his count.

“READY, READY, SET…” he said.

Being the starting quarterback for the varsity football team wasn’t a dream anymore; it was on his fingertips.

Junior Darien Rogers has had his eyes set on being the Wildcats’ varsity starting quarterback since he was just 3 years old. So far this season, he’s not only made it a reality, but he’s broken out into a star.

Darien picked up football at a young age. Specifically, quarterback, which is the most important position in the sport; the decision to be one is a heavy burden. For Darien, his choice to play quarterback was simple.

“I just fell in love with football,” Darien said. “I just knew that I wanted to touch the football a lot, so I knew that the best thing to do was become a quarterback.”
Growing up in a family full of athletes, Darien has been watching football games from the bleachers for years. So, when Darien set his eyes on becoming a quarterback, it wouldn’t be for just any team; he knew that he wanted to suit up in the crimson and gold.

“I made it a goal since my oldest brother was in his freshman year,” Darien said. “Going to his games, seeing the quarterback throw those passes and run the ball, I knew that that’s what I wanted to be when I get older.”

As Darien is summiting the first peak of his football career, he looks back on his path with both gratitude and pride. Just 12 people in CFISD can call themselves the varsity starting quarterback for their school. For Darien, it’s an honor.

“That means a lot. It means all of the hard work that I’ve put in since I was little,” Darien said. “I looked up to everybody. Now, everybody looks up to me. It’s pretty big and I love the role that I have.”

Going into his first game as the team’s starting quarterback, Darien was filled with excitement. To him, football wasn’t just about throwing the ball, but working together with his friends for a greater goal.

“I’m looking forward most to just winning the game and just creating memories with our team,” Darien said. “So that we can look back, not just in two weeks, but if we had a reunion. [We can] come back just [saying] like, ‘Do you remember when this happened?’”

To Darien, it’s clear that being on the Wildcats is like being in a family. Being together and creating genuine relationships with his teammates is a top priority; not just because he’s a leader, but because he cares about his friends.

“This team is different in how positive we are towards each other” Darien said. “It’s uplifting knowing that we’re doing this together and not split apart.”

But looking at football as a family manner isn’t just a concept for Darien; it’s a reality.

Both of Darien’s older brothers excelled in football at Cypress Woods. The oldest brother, Dylan Rogers, was a four-star recruit and plays at Nebraska — one of the most prestigious football programs in the nation. Meanwhile, former captain of the Wildcats’ football team, Darnell Rogers, is playing at Missouri S&T. For most people, this would create a lot of pressure. For Darien, it’s just another opportunity to prove himself.

“I wouldn’t say it’s pressure. I would just say it’s expectations,” Darien said. “I know that they [my brothers] have their high standards, and I know, technically, they think I’m in their shadow. But I feel like I’m playing my own game. We’re on two different sides of the football field, so it’s me versus everybody in my head.”

Darien’s always played with a chip on his shoulder, yet he still remains the most comfortable, calm player on the field. Combine this with his contagious confidence, and the Wildcats have a highlight reel at quarterback.

“I like to throw the ball a lot. And [I like] really deep passes,” Darien said. “Expect the crowd to go wild. Let’s get rowdy.”

Before the season, Darien set himself a goal of throwing 20 total touchdown passes. In just the eighth game of the season, he surpassed the mark, now sitting at 21 touchdown passes.

“Goals are big and important in football,” Darien said. “I know that if I break my goals, it’s going to be a good outcome for me.”

When watching Darien, his improvement is striking. This is most apparent when comparing his completion percentage from his sophomore campaign to this year. Improving from 46.5% to 66.7%, Darien emphasized his work ethic and overall development.

“Consistency means a lot, because the more consistent you are, the more opportunities we get to win games,” Darien said. “Knowing that, I improved mentally and just getting better over the offseason with my craft.”

The breakout that Darien is having is most clear by just looking at the numbers. Darien currently has a 140.8 quarterback rating (QBR), a statistic used to measure how well a quarterback is playing. A perfect score is a 158.3. Darien’s QBR is the best in the district.

“People don’t believe that I should be a quarterback, so just letting everybody know that I’m the best in the district feels really, really good,” Darien said. “But it’s just the beginning. I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to be way above average. I’m trying to get to my end goal.”

What makes Darien a nightmare for defenses is that he’s a “dual-threat” quarterback. This means he has the ability to do damage both throwing the ball and running it. Currently, he’s first out of all quarterbacks in the district in rushing touchdowns, seeing the endzone 10 times.

“When people don’t respect me running the ball, it gives me more excitement,” Darien said. “Running the ball, seeing the open field, and getting those touchdowns … it’s a good feeling.”

But despite all of these impressive numbers, he doesn’t care about the individual statistics. He knows that football is a team sport, and he wants to go as far as he can with his teammates.

“I’m happy with our success. The less time I’m playing because we’re blowing out teams, I’m quite fine with it,” Darien said. “We’re going to win district and maybe make it far in the playoffs.”
Darien’s unselfishness, hard work, and dedication is finally starting to pay off. He led the Wildcats to the best start in school history going 7-0 to start the season.
“It feels good just letting people know that hard work pays off and we’ll just keep thriving,” Darien said. “We’ll stay focused though; we have a lot more to prove.”

Darien’s first season as the varsity starting quarterback has been nothing short of amazing. But the thing that stands out most about the star is his leadership, care for his teammates, hunger to win, and desire to put on a great show for everybody watching. When asked what he would like to say to the Wildcats, Darien had a simple response.

“Keep showing up to our games, because when y’all are at our games, it helps us get better,” Darien said. “And keep expecting wins.”

This story was originally published on The Crimson Connection on November 22, 2024.